Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' The Greatest Movie Of All Time? And The Director Could Have New Oscar And Emmy Contenders | Deadline Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' The Greatest Movie Of All Time? And The Director Could Have New Oscar And Emmy Contenders Scarlett Johansson Alfred Hitchcock has been dead for 32 years. The last film he made, Family Plot, was released in 1976 yet his popularity among movie fans and cineastes alike has never seemed to wane. To put it bluntly, Hitch has never been hotter. This week proof of that was offered by the ascension of his 1958 classic Vertigo to the No. 1 spot on the British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound survey of the so-called 50 Greatest Films Of All Time as selected this year by 846 critics, film scholars and historians, the largest sampling ever in the once a decade list that has been compiled every 10 years since 1962.

Ever since the inception of the esteemed poll the British international film journal has named Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane as the Number 1 greatest film of all time — until 2012 when suddenly Hitchcock vaulted to the top after a slow, steady ascent since first appearing on the list of the Top 10 films in 1982. It is certainly interesting that this particular Hitchcock film starring James Stewart and Kim Novak, not even a huge hit in 1958 and recipient of only two minor Oscar nominations, for Color Art Direction and Sound, has become the master’s masterpiece in the eyes of the world’s top film writers and scholars. The only other Hitchcock film on the list is Psycho at number 35, although I personally count numerous others including North By Northwest, Rear Window, Notorious, even The Birds as equally deserving. I’m not at all sure Vertigo, great as it is, is the greatest of all time. Really?

David Lean who directed such immortal greats as Lawrence Of Arabia and The Bridge On The River Kwai doesn’t have a single film in the top 50 and you could argue all day about other omissions and inclusions (there’s no DAVID Lean but there is DAVID Lynch at No. 28 with Mulholland Drive. Hmmm). And I have never gotten what is so brilliant about Carl Dreyer’s 1927 The Passion of Joan Of Arc yet there it is perched at No. 9 with these film nerds waxing poetic about its endless use of closeups. Spare me. But the arguments about what constitutes a truly great film is what makes it all fun. I do wish the Sight & Sounders took comedy a lot more seriously, but in the egregious omission of so many fine comic masterpieces they are just like their brethren at the Oscars. The highest ranking pure comedy is way down at number 34 for Buster Keaton’s The General, although the 1952 musical Singin’ In The Rain is No. 20, the only musical on the entire list.

Nevertheless the list only confirms the lasting impact of Hitchcock who suddenly seems to be everywhere and now could figure heavily in upcoming Oscar and Emmy contests. Just this week as detailed on Deadline, Tippi Hedren , star of the director’s The Birds and Marnie, appeared at TCA to promote The Girl , an upcoming HBO film premiering in October starring Toby Jones as Hitchcock and Sienna Miller as Hedren as it details the making of The Birds and the true-life horror Hedren claims was inflicted on her by the director. “He ruined my career but he didn’t ruin my life,” she told the press. “He was evil, deviant, almost to the point of dangerous.” Wow. Hedren knows how to make waves. And so does Hitchcock even though he’s not here to defend himself over these charges largely dealing with sexual harassment. He is also not here to weigh in on a planned 3D remake of The Birds (ugh) or even Gus Van Sant’s ill-fated 1998 shot-by-shot remake of Psycho. In addition to the small screen film The Girl, Fox Searchlight has one for the big screen that is currently in post-production.

Based on Stephen Rebello’s 1990 non-fiction book, Alfred Hitchcock And The Making Of Psycho, the similarly-titled film version stars Anthony Hopkins as Hitch, Helen Mirren as his wife Alma and Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh who co-starred in Psycho and won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. Although it is set around the making of the 1960 classic (Hitch was nominated for the Best director Oscar but lost, and in fact never won), it is mostly about the relationship between the director and his wife. Should Searchlight decide to make a run for it the movie could conceivably become a last-minute entry in this year’s Oscar sweepstakes. There are reasons for and against the move and they might also include wanting to keep some distance from HBO’s aforementioned October telefilm The Girl. which presents a much more negative portrait of the director. Yet Hopkins, Mirren and Johansson are all thought to be strong Oscar fodder and that might be irresistible for Searchlight if the film can be readied in time.

Before beginning Friday night’s opening panel (which I moderated) of Edit Fest coincidentally held at the Hitchcock Theatre at Universal Studios, Pamela Martin (The Fighter, Little Miss Sunshine), who is editing the film, told me it is currently undetermined whether Searchlight will try for a late 2012 Oscar-qualifying release. She says they are still doing the director’s cut and if they decide to get it out this year it will mean a big rush to get it ready in time. She has nothing but praise for the performances and singled out Johansson. Wouldn’t it be something if Johansson were to be nominated for playing Janet Leigh playing Marion Crane in the same category Janet Leigh was a nominee 1960? And if she were to win that could become one of Oscar’s greatest ironies ever.

Alfred Hitchcock talks filmmaking in rare 90-minute interview filmed in 1976 | SyfyWire Alfred Hitchcock talks filmmaking in rare 90-minute interview filmed in 1976 Trent Moore Thu, Dec 18, 2014 12:41pm If you’ve ever wanted to crawl deep into the mind of one of the greatest filmmakers in history and stroll around for a while, then we’ve got you covered. A rare interview with Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho, Rear Window), conducted four years before the legendary director’s death in 1980 has surfaced, showing off a full hour and a half of cinema awesomeness. Yeah, that’s right — an interview with one of the best directors ever that runs the typical length of many movies. Nice. The wide-ranging interview finds Hitchcock responding to a smattering of serious and not-so-serious questions about his career, filmmaking style and directorial preferences. The interview was conducted to promote Hitchcock’s final film, Family Plot, which opened in 1976.

It's a must-see for cinephiles, and it's made even more important by the fact that it came so late in the game and allows Hitchcock to reflect on his career. Take advantage of some of that holiday-related free time and enjoy: Trivia from 'Family Plot' - Hitchcock's Most Mormon Film U.S. Box Office: $13,200,000 Production budget: $3,000,000 Alfred Hitchcock is widely regarded as the great filmmaker in history. He grew up in a devoutly Catholic home in England, where he began his film career. He was already an accomplished director when he moved to Hollywood, where he would remain until the end of his career. Among his best known films are four that the American Film Institute included on their year 2000 list of "100 Greatest Films" ever made in this country: Psycho; The Birds; Rear Window and North by Northwest. Family Plot (1976) was Hitchcock's last film. Oddly enough, it is also his most overtly Mormon film. One of the four main characters was apparently raised by Mormon parents.

And in the graveside scene, the clergyman delivering the eulogy quotes eight consecutive verses from the Book of Mormon. Although Hitchcock's reasons for including references to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may never be known, it is possible that part of the inspiration for the material came from the film's star Bruce Dern. The eulogy and Church reference may have been "inside jokes" derived from Dern's Utah heritage: Bruce Dern was the grandson of Utah governor George Dern. Hitchcock was fond of dropping subtle and meaningful details into his films. For example, if you look closely, you may notice that the character Blanche Tyler lives on the corner of Castle Heights and Bates. The street sign is a fake one, placed there by the film's art director, and is an obvious allusion to the Bates Motel, the site of Hitcock's famous film Psycho. (The sign can be seen as Karen Black is walking toward by Tyler's home on the sidewalk, toward the car where awaits William Devane, when they first go to Tyler's house to see who is investigating Eddie Shoebridge.) Family Plot features other subtle, and not-so-subtle, allusions to previous Hitchcock films.

For example, the frantic drive down the mountain in a car with no brakes is strongly reminscent of Cary Grant's inebriated drive in North by Northwest. The memorable and beautifully shot cemetary scene, in which George Lumley (played by Bruce Dern) confronts Joe Maloney's widow (Katherine Helmond), opens up with a group of about twenty-five people listening to a clergyman's graveside eulogy. He says some words specifically about the deceased (Joe Maloney, who was played by Ed Lauter). Maloney's widow sees George, and George starts to walk away, toward the Shoebridge grave. Mrs. Maloney quietly leaves the service and follows George, on a different, parallel path. Hitchcock had been very specific about the layout for this scene, and insisted that it be shot with an overhead camera. The entire time that George and Mrs. Maloney are walking toward the Shoebridge grave, the clergyman can be heard quoting from the Book of Mormon. Specifically, he is quoting 2 Nephi 9:20-27. Of course, the passage is very appropriate for the film.

Hitchcock paid meticulous attention to details on all his films: 20 O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it. 21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. 22 And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day. 23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God. 24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.

25 Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. 26 For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. 27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state! These verses from the Book of Mormon provide the primary accompaniment to the action of this scene, as the musical score is very faint or non-existent at this point.

(Family Plot was scored by John Williams, who is today Hollywood's most famous composer, as he has worked on many major Lucas and Spielberg pictures such as the Star Wars and Jurassic Park films. At the time he scored Family Plot he was less well known, but Hitchcock had been impressed by his work on Jaws. Hitchcock was known for his close collaborations with composers--few directors entrusted so much importance to the score. Family Plot was the first film Williams scored for Hitchcock. It was also the last, as this was Hitchcock's last picture. It's unfortunate that there were no other collaborations between the two of them, because Williams' score for this film is delightful. It is also quite unlike anything else he has done.) All of the gravestones seen in the cemetary scene are fake, by the way. The filmmakers did not want to risk claims by surviving relatives of actual deceased people. Having fun with the press, many of the names on the gravestones are actually names of entertainment reporters invited by Hitchcock to a press conference to the cemetary filming location for a press conference. George Lumley is also the character involved in the earlier scene that alludes to Latter-day Saints.

George is searching for Edward Shoebridge who, by the time the film takes place, has changed his name to Arthur Adamson. Adamson, one of the film's four leads, was played by William Devane. (An interesting aside: Devane was originally unavailable for the project, and so Roy Thinnes was cast in the role. But when Devane unexpectedly became available, Hitchcock fired Thinnes, and reshot scenes that included the character. Thinnes was very unhappy about this, and, in one embarrasing incident, confronted Hitchcock about it in a crowded restaurant.) The adoptive parents of Edward Shoebridge/Arthur Adamson died in a house fire when he as a teenager -- a fire set by Maloney. (Edward/Arthur was adopted while a baby, and it appears that at the time of his adoptive parents' death he did not know he was adopted. As an infant, Edward was baptized by an Episcopalian parson, before being given over for adoption to the Shoebridges.) The Latter-day Saint reference occurs while George is talking to the stonecarver who created the headstones for the Shoebridges: stonecarver: What year did you say the family died? George: Uhh...

1950. Hitchcock's Film Cameos Hitchcock's Film Cameos Appearances in His Own Films In Two Parts Hitchcock's Film Cameo Appearances: Alfred Hitchcock made a total of 39 self-referential cameos in his films over a 50 year period (from 1927-1976), if one counts his off-screen narration at the start of The Wrong Man (1956). Four of his films featured two cameo appearances (The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927, UK), Suspicion (1941), Rope (1948), and Under Capricorn (1949)).

[Note: Two appearances in a film were counted only once.] Hitchcock's appearance in Secret Agent (1936, UK) is very speculative and not officially counted.] Hitchcock's first appearance was in his third major UK film, The Lodger (1927) (earlier credited and completed films without cameos included The Pleasure Garden (1925) and The Mountain Eagle (1926, UK) (aka Fear o' God) - a lost film), and then in more of his major British films, followed by numerous appearances in his US productions. Two war-time shorts after 1940, Bon Voyage (1944) and Aventure Malgache (1944), did not contain cameos either. The most ingenious cameo appearances were in films with limited sets, as in Lifeboat (1944), Rope (1948), and Dial M for Murder (1954).

Two recurring themes were that: (1) Hitchcock often carried a musical instrument, and (2) Hitchcock often used public transportation (buses, trains, etc.), and was seen as a casual passer-by in the crowd in the public place (train stations, at an airport, etc.). Most of the cameos appeared early in the film, and often there was a bit of mild humor in the appearance (weight-reduction ads, getting up from a wheelchair, having an unbeatable bridge hand, drinking champagne to lessen the supply, etc.). Note: Only once did he appear in an installment of his Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1966) TV show - besides his personal introductions. The one appearance was in the 1958 episode of the third season titled A Dip in the Pool, in which he showed up on the cover of a magazine being read by Mr. Renshaw (Philip Bourneuf). See also this site's information on the Most Famous Film Director Cameos . Note: The films that are marked with a yellow star are the films that "The Greatest Films" site has selected as the 100 Greatest Films .

Hitchcock's Cameo Appearances in His Own Films (in reverse chronological order, Part 1) Minutes Into Film (approx.) Family Plot (1976) With his widely-familiar but stern silhouette viewed through the frosted-glass door of the "Registrar of Births and Deaths." Hitchcock appears to be arguing with an elderly woman and accusedly jabbing and pointing his finger. 40 minutes Frenzy (1972) In the center of a crowd, wearing a black bowler hat, facing to the left. He is the only one not applauding the political speech-maker (delivering a speech about pollution and cleaning up the Thames River). A moment later, he is among bystanders watching as another necktie murder corpse (naked) floats ashore. He listens as a white-bearded crowd member (Joby Blanshard) talks about the grisly tactics of Jack the Ripper.

3 minutes Topaz (1969) In a crowded LaGuardia International Airport scene, seated in a wheelchair as he is being pushed by a nurse under a sign with an arrow reading "United Airlines - To Planes." He miraculously stands up from the wheelchair, greets and shakes hands with a man, and walks off to the right. 33 minutes Torn Curtain (1966) In Copenhagen, sitting in the large Hotel d'Angleterre's lobby entrance with a blonde-haired baby in his lap (who possibly wet itself), with his back to the camera. During the brief cameo, the music changes to resemble the famous "Hitchcock theme," also known as the Funeral March of the Marionette. 8 minutes Marnie (1964) Entering from the left of the hotel corridor from a hotel room after Marnie Edgar (Tippi Hedren) has passed by with a bellman carrying her things. The director looks guiltily at the camera. 5 minutes Leaving downtown San Francisco's Davidson's Pet Shop with two white terriers (Hitchcock's own Sealyham terriers Geoffrey and Stanley on leashes) as elegantly-dressed blonde Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) enters.

2 minutes Psycho (1960) Wearing a large cowboy hat and discretely viewed through Marion Crane's (Janet Leigh) office store-front window, loitering or standing on the sidewalk, as she returns to her Phoenix real estate company after a lunchtime quickie in a cheap hotel with lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin). 7 minutes North By Northwest (1959) At the end of the opening title credits sequence in a bustling NYC, missing a green city bus that slams its door in his face, anticipating a similar scene in the countryside near a cornfield when a bus door shuts on Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant). 2 minutes In a gray suit walking across the street past Gavin Elster's (Tom Helmore) Mission District shipyard and office in San Francisco, in front of columns and a newspaper rack, carrying a horn (or trumpet) case. 11 minutes The Wrong Man (1956) (Narration Only) Hitchcock (in silhouette) narrates the film's prologue and introduces the film's true story before the credits appear. Not a traditional cameo, but this was the sole time Hitchcock actually spoke in any of his feature films.

Beginning of film The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) Hitchcock was the balding man (on the left side of the frame with his back to the camera) watching a troupe of acrobats in the crowded outdoor French Moroccan (Marrakesh) marketplace, just before the murder of Louis Bernard (Daniel Gelin). 25 minutes The Trouble With Harry (1955) (Not easily identifiable) Walking past a parked-by-the-side-of-the-road limousine of an old man who is looking at Sam Marlowe's (John Forsythe) outdoor stand/exhibition of artwork and paintings. 22 minutes To Catch A Thief (1955) Staring straight ahead and sitting motionless to the left of John Robie (Cary Grant) in the rear-seat of a bus, revealed as the camera slightly panned to the right. To Robie's right is a woman (Adele St Mauer) with a bird cage (containing two birds). 10 minutes Winding/repairing a clock in the songwriter's/musician's (real-life composer and vocalist Ross Bagdasarian, Jr.) apartment, across from where J.

Jefferies (James Stewart) was being a voyeur. 26 minutes Dial M for Murder (1954) On the left side of Tony Wendice's (Ray Milland) Cambridge class-reunion dinner photograph hung on the wall, turning back and looking up to his right, seated at a white table-clothed table. The framed photograph was taken off the wall by Tony and shown to Captain Lesgate/Charles Swann (Anthony Dawson) (Swann was blackmailed into murdering Tony's wife), who is across the table from tuxedoed Hitchcock in the photo. 13 minutes I Confess (1953) Strolling across or along the top of a long flight of stair-steps in Quebec, in a long-shot silhouette filmed at a distance, during/after the opening credits. 1 minute Strangers on A Train (1951) Struggling to board a train with a very large and awkward double bass fiddle (similar in shape to Hitchcock's own rotund body), as Guy Haines (Farley Granger) gets off in his hometown of Metcalf. 10 minutes The final film from Alfred Hitchcock is no epic farewell · Watch This · The A.V.

Club Share Tweet Every day, Watch This offers staff recommendations inspired by a new movie coming out that week. This week: In the spirit of Life Of Riley, the final film by Alain Resnais, we’ve singled out other swan songs from master directors. Family Plot (1976) It’s odd to think of Alfred Hitchcock still releasing movies in 1976, but that is exactly when Family Plot came out—two months after Taxi Driver and just six months before Carrie and Marathon Man. Those movies are more emblematic of the 1976-model thriller; Hitchcock followed up his first R-rated picture, Frenzy (1972), with a more genteel, even lightly comic, take on the genre. Family Plot follows two couples: Fake psychic Blanche (Barbara Harris) and her boyfriend/assistant George (Bruce Dern), who have been hired by an elderly woman to find her long-lost heir; and Arthur (William Devane) and Fran (Karen Black), professional kidnappers and jewel collectors. The initial intersection between these pairs is coincidental, and the movie doesn’t reveal their actual connection until about a third of the way through.

Even then, that connection isn’t a killer twist. Family Plot moves slower and more creakily than the director’s best work, pausing for plenty of bickering (sometimes cute, sometimes sour) and innuendos from both couples. It also generates a lot of charm by staying focused in on these characters—especially Dern as the pipe-toting investigator who moonlights as an actual cab driver. The script, based on a novel and adapted by Ernest Lehman (who also adapted West Side Story and The Sound Of Music for the screen, and wrote Hitchcock’s North By Northwest), offers enough meticulous crime-solving details to keep the small cast occupied. Family Plot is also less formally ambitious than a lot of Hitchcock films. The most memorable set piece takes place in an out-of-control car careering down a mountain road; the speed is harrowing, but at the same time played for slapstick, with Dern and Harris pitching around the vehicle, pointlessly tangling their limbs.

If the movie had been made a couple of decades earlier, maybe Cary Grant would have made the comedy more sophisticated, but the silliness of Family Plot effectively defuses the idea of a grand farewell to the director—and not just because it wasn’t intended as such at the time. Instead of a grand statement, it ends Hitchcock’s legendary career with a wink. Availability: Family Plot is available on Blu-ray and DVD, which can be obtained from Netflix or your local video store/library, or to rent or purchase from the major digital services. 96-Minute 'Masterclass' Interview with Alfred Hitchcock on Filmmaking (1976) - YouTube 96-Minute 'Masterclass' Interview with Alfred Hitchcock on Filmmaking (1976) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Dec 17, 2014 In this fantastic interview with Alfred Hitchcock from a 1976 press conference for his last film 'The Family Plot'.

During this interview (1.5hr) Hitchcock responds to a range of serious and comical questions about his career, his filmmaking style, story, and directing. Storyboards: the cemetery sequence from Hitchcock's 'Family Plot' Composer John Williams on scoring 'Family Plot' Courtesy of Erik Clapp Cinema+Photo Found at the Bobbie Wygant archives Category Family Plot (1976) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Lighthearted suspense film about a phony psychic/con artist and her taxi driver/private investigator boyfriend who encounter a pair of serial kidnappers while trailing a missing heir in California.

Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON TV a list of 36 titles created 02 May 2011 a list of 27 titles created 12 Jun 2012 a list of 40 titles created 09 Jan 2013 a list of 34 titles created 06 Oct 2013 a list of 40 titles created 05 Jan 2014 Search for " Family Plot " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards » Videos A French intelligence agent becomes embroiled in the Cold War politics first with uncovering the events leading up to the 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis, and then back to France to break up an international Russian spy ring. Director: Alfred Hitchcock A serial murderer is strangling women with a necktie. The London police have a suspect, but he is the wrong man.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock An American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin before planning an escape back to the West. Director: Alfred Hitchcock Mark marries Marnie although she is a habitual thief and has serious psychological problems, and tries to help her confront and resolve them. Director: Alfred Hitchcock The trouble with Harry is that he's dead, and everyone seems to have a different idea of what needs to be done with his body... Director: Alfred Hitchcock A family vacationing in Morocco accidentally stumble on to an assassination plot and the conspirators are determined to prevent them from interfering. Director: Alfred Hitchcock Aircraft factory worker Barry Kane goes on the run across the United States when he is wrongly accused of starting a fire that killed his best friend. Director: Alfred Hitchcock True story of an innocent man mistaken for a criminal. Director: Alfred Hitchcock A priest who comes under suspicion for murder cannot clear his name without breaking the seal of the confessional. Director: Alfred Hitchcock A young woman discovers her visiting uncle may not be the man he seems to be.

Director: Alfred Hitchcock A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people. Director: Alfred Hitchcock When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence. Director: Alfred Hitchcock Edit Storyline The trickster Madam Blanche Tyler lures the elder millionaire Julia Rainbird that believes she is a spiritualist. After a séance, she discovers that Julia is tormented by her past, when she forced her sister and single mother Harriet to deliver her baby for adoption to avoid a family scandal. Julia promises the small fortune of ten thousand-dollar to Blanche if she finds her nephew and heir of her fortune using her phony powers. Blanche asks her boyfriend George Lumley, who is an unemployed actor working as cab driver, to investigate the whereabouts of Julia's nephew. Meanwhile, the greedy jeweler and collector Arthur Adamson kidnaps wealthy people with his girlfriend Fran to increase his collection of diamonds with the ransom.

When George concludes that Arthur Adamson might be the heir of Julia Rainbird, the reckless Blanche gets in trouble with the kidnappers. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil You must see it twice! See more » Genres: 9 April 1976 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Did You Know? Trivia Jack Nicholson couldn't accept the role of George Lumley, as he was doing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). See more » Goofs During the scene where Maloney and Adamson are in the back room of the jewelry store, Maloney takes all but two cigarettes from the cigarette bowl. However, minutes later, the bowl is full again. See more » Quotes Fran : I don't know what's come over me tonight. I'm tingling all over. Arthur Adamson : I told you about danger, didn't I? First it makes you sick, then when you get through it, it makes you very, very loving. The Universal logo does not appear anywhere on this film.

See more » Connections Rejoice, the Lord Is King (1744) (uncredited) No, not great Hitchcock, but entertaining nonetheless 17 March 2001 | by zetes (Saint Paul, MN) – See all my reviews Family Plot differs from all the other Hitchcock films. It lacks suspense, for the most part, and it is not as funny as many of his films. Instead, it is just an amusing little yarn. I like the way the film starts with two separate plot lines which gradually merge. Even if it is not the most original thing in the world (especially since two of Family Plot's stars were main players in Robert Altman's Nashville), it still makes the film interesting. If anyone else had made this film, it probably would be more fondly received by the public, although I doubt anyone would still be watching it today. The two characters with whom we begin the film, whom we would consider the heroes, are the best, and are played lovingly by Barbara Harris and Bruce Dern. She's a hack psychic milking old ladies out of pensions, and he's a cabbie who cannot find enough time both to drive his cab and participate in Harris' schemes.

Although the characters aren't as well developed as those in numerous other Hitchcock ventures, they're entertaining. The other couple, Karen Black and William Devane, fare less well. They're more crafty in their crimes, perpetrating large-scale kidnappings for enormous ransoms. Karen Black's character is very underdeveloped, hardly showing any depth. What character she does have is not entirely believable, since Karen Black seems too nice to play a hardcore criminal. William Devane is decent as the sinister mastermind, but the history provided to his character is far more brutal than is believable (he locked his adopted parents in their bedroom and set fire to their house). I liked the idea of the small time crooks clashing with the professionals, and I liked the outcome of the film. All in all, it is decent and worth watching. It does not feel anything like a Hitchcock film, so I wouldn't expect anything like Vertigo or Rear Window when approaching this, his swan song. 7/10 40 of 47 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Alfred Hitchcock - IMDb IMDb Director | Producer | Actor Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born in Leytonstone, Essex, England.

He was the son of Emma Jane (Whelan; 1863 - 1942) and East End greengrocer William Hitchcock (1862 - 1914). His parents were both of half English and half Irish ancestry. He had two older siblings, William Hitchcock (born 1890) and Eileen Hitchcock (born 1892). Raised as a strict ... See full bio » Born: a list of 25 people created 10 Jan 2011 a list of 25 people created 21 Dec 2011 a list of 42 people created 08 Dec 2013 a list of 29 images created 24 Jul 2015 a list of 27 people created 2 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Alfred Hitchcock's work have you seen? User Polls Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 28 wins & 27 nominations.

See more awards » Known For | Edit Filmography 2014 Memory of the Camps (TV Movie documentary) 1985 Frontline (TV Series documentary) (1 episode) 1976 Family Plot (producer - uncredited) 1972 Frenzy (producer - uncredited) 1966 Torn Curtain (producer - uncredited) 1964 Marnie (producer - uncredited) 1963 The Birds (producer - uncredited) 1962 Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) (executive producer - 1 episode) - The Jail (1962) ... (executive producer) Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) (producer - 7 episodes, 1955 - 1962) (executive producer - 1 episode, 1956) - The Glass Eye (1957) ... (producer - uncredited) - Mink (1956) ...

(executive producer) 1959 North by Northwest (producer - uncredited) 1957-1958 Suspicion (TV Series) (executive producer - 25 episodes) 1949 Under Capricorn (producer - uncredited) 1948 Rope (producer - uncredited) 1922 Number 13 (producer - uncredited) Hide 1954-1956 Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) Lux Video Theatre Intermission Guest / Lux Video Theatre Guest Extra in Newspaper Office (uncredited) Hide 2005 Don't Give Me the Finger (Short) (play - as Sir Alfred Hitchcock) 1993 Lifepod (TV Movie) (short story) 1946 Notorious (screenplay contributor - uncredited) 1944 Lifeboat (story idea - uncredited) 1921 The Mystery Road (title designer) 1921 Appearances (title designer) 1920 The Great Day (title designer) Hide 1923 Woman to Woman (assistant director) Hide 1977 The Magic of ABC (TV Special) ("

Funeral March of a Marionette") Hide 2014 Lazarus: Apocalypse (original inspiration) 2013 Intoxicated (Short) (dedicatee) 2011/IV The Waiting Room (Short) (special thanks) 2011 Special Collector's Edition (TV Series) (in memory of - 1 episode) 2009 Adjusted (Short) (special thanks) 2009/I Indigo (Short) (in memory of) 2009 Evocator (Short) (grateful acknowledgment) 2008 Creature Story (Short) (special thanks) 2007 Wingrave (Video) (dedicatee) 2003 Julie and Jack (special thanks - as Mr.

Alfred Hitchcock) 2001 Blyustiteli poroka (TV Series) (dedicated to - 1 episode) - Obratniy effekt (2001) ...

(dedicated to: 100 Years of) 1997 Running Time (special thanks) 1983 Psycho II (the producers acknowledge the debt owed to - as Sir Alfred Hitchcock) 1977 High Anxiety (dedicated to: the Master of Suspense) Hide 1978 CBS: On the Air (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 1977 La nuit des Césars (TV Series documentary) Himself 1976 The Elstree Story (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1976 The World of Alfred Hitchcock (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1972 V.I.P.-Schaukel (TV Series documentary) Himself 1972 Camera Three (TV Series) Himself 1972 Film Night (TV Series) Himself 1971 Yesterday's Witness (TV Series) Himself - Interviewee 1971 Samedi soir (TV Series) Himself 1969 Hollywood: The Selznick Years (TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 1969 London aktuell (TV Series documentary) Himself 1966 Hinter der Leinwand (TV Series documentary) Himself 

1966 Film Preview (TV Series) Himself 1966 Cinema (TV Series documentary) Himself 1965 Hitchcock on Grierson (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1964 Monitor (TV Series documentary) Himself - Interviewee 1964 Telescope (TV Series documentary) Himself 1955-1962 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) Himself - Host / Alfred's Brother / Man on the Book Cover / ...

1960 Picture Parade (TV Series documentary) Himself 1956 Cinépanorama (TV Series documentary) Himself 1954 What's My Line?

(TV Series) Himself - Mystery Guest #2 1948 Ship's Reporter (TV Series) Himself 1943 Show-Business at War (Documentary short) Himself (uncredited) 2016 La otra sala: Clásicos (TV Series documentary) 2015 Extra (TV Series) 2015 Talking Pictures (TV Series documentary) Himself 2015 Die Ringstraße - Trilogie eines Boulevards (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 2014 Top 40 Ultimate Action Movies (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2014 Missing Reel (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 2014 Memory of the Camps (TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 2013 Perspectives (TV Series documentary) Himself 2013 The One Show (TV Series) Himself 2011 Special Collector's Edition (TV Series) Himself 2010 The Psycho Legacy (Video documentary) Himself 2009 Legenden (TV Series documentary) Himself 2009 Il était une fois...

(TV Series documentary) Himself 2009 ITV News London (TV Series) Himself 1998-2008 American Masters (TV Series documentary) Himself / Himself - Interviewee 2007 Cinemassacre's Monster Madness (TV Series documentary) Himself 2007 Cámara negra. Teatro Victoria Eugenia (TV Short documentary) Himself 2007 British Film Forever (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 2007 Cannes, 60 ans d'histoires (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2007 Hoge bomen: Pioniers (TV Series documentary) Himself 2006 Hitchcocked!

(TV Movie documentary) Himself 2006 Billy Wilder Speaks (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2006 Silent Britain (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2006 Un écran nommé désir (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2005 Shepperton Babylon (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2004 Hitchcock and Dial M (Video documentary short) Himself (uncredited) 2004 Personal History: Foreign Hitchcock (Video documentary short) Himself 2004 Words in Progress (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2004 101 Biggest Celebrity Oops (TV Special documentary) Himself - #85: Psycho: The Remake 2003 The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2003 Living Famously (TV Series documentary) Himself 2002 Sendung ohne Namen (TV Series documentary) Himself 2002 Who Is Alan Smithee?

(TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 1998-2001 Biography (TV Series documentary) Himself / Himself - Director 2001 Legends (TV Series documentary) Himself 2001 Cinéma, de notre temps (TV Series documentary) Himself 2001 Plotting 'Family Plot' (Video documentary) Himself 2000 The Trouble with Marnie (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2000 Inside 'Dr.

No' (Video documentary short) Himself 1999 Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1999 Reputations (TV Series documentary) Himself 1999 Hitchcock: The Early Years (Video documentary short) Himself 1998 The Best of Hollywood (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1995 The Universal Story (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1995 Citizen Langlois (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1995 Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 1995 Family Portraits (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 1994 Hitchcock: Alfred the Great (TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 1985-1989 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series) Himself - Host / Himself - South by Southeast (1989) ... Himself - Host - Reunion (1989) ... Himself - Host 1985 Frontline (TV Series documentary) Himself (1960s-1970s) Short story collections: Edited a number of mystery short story collections.

See more » Publicity Listings: 26 Biographical Movies | 83 Print Biographies | 10 Portrayals | 2 Interviews | 66 Articles | 1 Pictorial | 17 Magazine Cover Photos | See more » Official Sites: Mr. Alfred Hitchcock | Sir Alfred Hitchcock Height: Did You Know? Personal Quote: I am scared easily, here is a list of my adrenaline-production: 1: small children, 2: policemen, 3: high places, 4: that my next movie will not be as good as the last one. See more » Trivia: In 1964, Hitchcock re-read another Richard Hannay novel by John Buchan , The Three Hostages, with a mind to adapting it. As with Greenmantle a quarter of a century earlier, the rights were elusive. But also the story was dated, very much rooted in the 1930s, and the plot involved a villain whose blind mother hypnotizes the hero. Hitchcock, in interviews, said that he felt that the portrayal of ... See more » Trademark: He hated to shoot on location.

He preferred to shoot at the studio where he could have full control of lighting and other factors. This is why even his later films contain special effects composite and rear screen shots. See more » Nickname: Alfred Hitchcock’s Bay Area movies – The Mercury News By Jackie Burrell | jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com | January 12, 2015 at 5:33 am Why did Alfred Hitchcock set so many films in Northern California? It was his home turf. The British director fell in love with the Bay Area while filming Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” in Monterey County in 1939, and the Hitchcocks bought a ranch and vineyard in Scotts Valley the following year. From that point on, he set more than half a dozen films in the greater Bay Area and even sneaked a few local sights into movies ostensibly filmed elsewhere. Here’s just a sampling: “Rebecca” (1940): Hitchcock’s first U.S. film was inspired by the Daphne du Maurier novel, which was set in Cornwall.

The scenes of Manderley were filmed on the Selznick Studios lot in Hollywood, but the cliffs of Monte Carlo, where Maxim de Winter meets his second wife, are actually Point Lobos State Reserve, near Carmel. “Suspicion” (1941): The film was set in the fictional Tangmere-by-the-Sea in England, but the filming was done in Big Sur, with scenes carefully set to avoid glimpses of the Bixby Bridge. “Shadow of a Doubt” (1943): Hitchcock turned the then-small town of Santa Rosa, population 13,000, into a studio lot for four weeks, filming at Railroad Square, the library, the Tower Theater and other locations. “Vertigo” (1958): This iconic thriller was filmed at Big Basin, Mission San Juan Bautista and Cypress Point, along Carmel’s 17-Mile Drive, as well as numerous locations around San Francisco, including Fort Point, Mission Dolores, the Palace of the Legion of Honor, the Palace of Fine Arts and Ernie’s Restaurant.

“The Birds” (1963): This thriller was filmed in San Francisco’s Union Square, Bodega Bay and Bodega, with shoutouts — via the radio broadcasts the cast anxiously listens to as birds attempt to claw their way in — to Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz. “Marnie” (1964): Location filming was done on the East Coast, where this psychological thriller was set, but according to Jeff Kraft and Aaron Leventhal, authors of “Footsteps in the Fog: Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco” (Santa Monica Press, 2002), the Connecticut train station scene was actually shot in San Jose’s Diridon Station. “Family Plot” (1976): Hitchcock’s last film included scenes at the Fairmont Hotel and Grace Cathedral, which was called St. Anselm’s in the movie. — J.

Burrell, Staff ‎Family Plot (1976) directed by Alfred Hitchcock • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd From the director of Rebecca , Shadow of a Doubt , Notorious , Rope , Strangers on a Train , Dial M for Murder , Rear Window , Vertigo , North by Northwest , Psycho & The Birds comes the final feature film of his great & glorious career. And although it may be no match to any of the above mentioned films, it nonetheless works as what it is in the first place; a dark comedy. Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot tells the story of two couples; one consists of a fake psychic & a cab driver who together make up as petty con artists while the other couple kidnap rich people for ransoms. The plot concerns the search of a missing heir that brings the petty criminals in conflict with the… 2 "I'm sick and tired of you having me by the crystal balls!" Finally got around to viewing the master of suspense's last directorial effort in its entirety, and this turned out to be better than my initial memories of it....thanks to a sharp Ernest Lehman script, and great turns from the cast.

Hitchcock's dark comedy is fueled by a reward that's been offered from a wealthy elderly woman for finding the whereabouts of her nephew, who was put up for adoption as a child. We follow two sets of conniving couples: Bruce Dern and Barbara Harris (a practicing psychic), who are merely amateur thieves looking for a big score, and William Devane and Karen Black, a couple of polished experts… 5 Review In A Nutshell: The final feature from the master of suspense, an expertly crafted thriller that begins with two seemingly unrelated plots, strengthen by their distinct tone and execution, slowly converging towards one another that compels one through its mystery and strong set-pieces. However this is far from the gems that were churned out from him a decade or two earlier, lacking the sense of desperation for the affection of his audience, almost as if going through the motions, despite its multi-layered plotting that manages to impress since it’s his final production. Performances were split in the middle, with Bruce Dern and Barbara Harris carrying a far stronger effort and chemistry, pushing asides both Karen Black and William Devane.… Part of the Alfred Hitchcock Sound Era Films In Chronological Order project .

Alfred Hitchcock's final film is perhaps a little slower and gentler than you might expect from the Master Of Suspense. It's also a film that doesn't really play up to the 'Suspense' part of his nickname - but there is certainly enough going on with Family Plot to lend itself to the 'Master' part. This excellent little black comedy caper sees part-time taxi driver and private detective Bruce Dern and his pretend psychic wife Barbara Harris on the trail of two serial kidnappers (William Devane and Karen Black) after being asked to track down a missing heir out in California. It could be that Family Plot will undergo… Review by loureviews ★★★½ #1 in the Reverse Hitchcock project - boxd.it/baiC Full of winks and nods, this comedy chase caper with an Ernest Lehman screenplay about two criminal couples is great fun to watch. Great work from the central quartet, especially 'Madame Blanche' (Barbara Harris) and oily William Devane (why his career went downhill into TV movies and soap operas so quickly is a mystery). The late Karen Black gives a wide-eyed classy performance; she seems to be a stand-out in every film she was in.

Bruce Dern completes the main cast and he's very competent as the resting actor who vaguely interests himself in petty crime. There's a John Williams score which perfectly fits every scene in this black comic mixture, while… Review by J. J. Wright ★★★½ Like it better than its reputation had led me to believe, but that doesn't mean I'm on board with the tonal mismatch whenever the film tries to be funny. The careening car sequence is nearly undone by some ill-timed "levity" that saps the drama. This is partly down to Harris's performance, which ranges from strong to, er, less so. That said, her performance is sometimes circumscribed by the tonal tensions within the script, and the resulting impact on dialogue and motivation. Still, I find the overarching plot to be an amusing and diverting one, with the parallel scamming couples making interesting foils for each other.

Dern makes a fun sleuth, and Devane's a good sonofabitch, a far cry from his… 2 "I'm sick and tired of you having me by the crystal balls!" Finally got around to viewing the master of suspense's last directorial effort in its entirety, and this turned out to be better than my initial memories of it....thanks to a sharp Ernest Lehman script, and great turns from the cast. Hitchcock's dark comedy is fueled by a reward that's been offered from a wealthy elderly woman for finding the whereabouts of her nephew, who was put up for adoption as a child. We follow two sets of conniving couples: Bruce Dern and Barbara Harris (a practicing psychic), who are merely amateur thieves looking for a big score, and William Devane and Karen Black, a couple of polished experts…

Question: Which was Alfred Hitchcock's last film made in 1976?
Answer: Family Plot